The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-03-05

CHc Hsiu Dceu Ihuolcndy cream
ing over Tennyson's poems all the
afternoon, and her real seemed
prosaic compared with her ideals.
The shimmering moonlight and
soft zephyrs, perfumed with the
breath Of June roses and lilies,
failed to cast their usual glamour.
There was an upheaval in her
soul. Her nature clamored for a
life removed from the common
place, untarnished by the actuali-
files Of labor, and filled with ro-
nance and luxury. The babble
and childish laughter floating up
from the miners cottages struck
discordantly upon her ear.
What romance and poetry were
there among those women, absorbed
i'm household cares, and those grim
my hard-hearted men? True, those
men sometimes met terrOrs in the
mines, but they meditated no more
upon them than oxen, and stolidly
plodded on in the race for bread.
Why could not she have been
born princess instead of the daugh-
ter of a mine superintendent, with
out rank and without wealth,
though comfortably circumstanced?
And what was her lover but an
honest, Woodworking mining en-
gineer? He looked quite pictur-
esque, tanning himself in the moon
light, but he had never performed
a heroic deed, never went on chiv-
alrOus quests, nor battled for the
fair.
She wanted hero-lover-chival-
rous, knightly, daring; and he was
only a neatly-dressed, intelligent,
everyday sort of man, whose great
est ambition was to succeed in his
business and to make a cosy home
for his Amy.
How could she listen patiently to
his relation of his plans and of the
prospects of the mine. while visions
of Sir Launcelot and Sir Galahad
Haunted her?
She was a sensible little girl, and
did not trouble her lover with her
dissatisfied thoughts but there was
an Indifference in her manner and
n petulance in her tone that he no.
ticed and felt.
"Amy, what is the matter?" he
asked anxiously.
Nothing" she answered freez-
ingly.
AT that moment Mr.. Carroll
called in an excited tone:
: ."Wentworth, come quickly, there
is fire in the miners row !"
Wentworth hastily ran down the
steps, and the two men strobe to
the fire. Amy went to an opposite
room, where she found her mother
gazing at the rapidly increasing
flames.
"Amy, let us 60 there" she said !
"perhaps we may be of some aid to
the sufferers"
They found nearly all the villa
gers gathered around the fire, a few
rods distant. Men were carrying
furniture out Of the burning build
ing and dashing water upon the
neighboring houses.
Mrs. Carroll and Amy fastened |
to Join the group standing around
the mistress of the cottage, sitting
with babe in her arms, and two
frightened children clinging to her
skirts.
"They can't save the house." ex-
planned the woman to Mrs. Carroll, |
but they are getting most of the
things out. They carried mother
out first of all, glancing affection
ately at her old bed-ridden mother.
"Yes," chimed the invalid, my
boy and Mr.. Wentworth carried me
out easy as a baby"
Amy's eyes kindled, but some
thing mockingly whispered, "No
heroism in that, for there was not
the least danger"
Nevertheless, she watched her
lovers cool and energetic move
ments with admiration, and gave
little heed to the disjointed chat
around her.
AT length the building was pro-
nounced unsafe to enter, and the
men slowly edged toward the group
of women.
"Amy, you here?" exclaimed
Wentworth, seeing her for the first
time.
81 came with mother, she replied
cordially,
"We've got most of the things
out" cried the owner cheerily to
his wife. "'Tisn't much matter
bout the shanty. I'll have to build
a new shanty sooner, that is ALL"
A sudden pallor flashed over his
swarthy face, and he shouted out
..'Good Heaven there's half cask
Of powder in the pantry / clean for
got! Run for your livesH'
A shrek of terror sounded men
and women snatched up their chill
dren or some household treasure,
and ran in all directions, frightened
and bewildered, seeking a place of
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